On September 24th, students and workers at UC Santa Cruz began the occupation of the Graduate Student Commons as part of a day of action at all UCs across the state. The building is located in a central location on campus, across from the Bay Tree Bookstore. Occupiers are calling for another day of walkouts on Friday.

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A flyer distributed in the streets explains the building occupation at UC Santa Cruz:

The situation at the university has become untenable. Workers are losing their jobs. Students are dropping out of school. The promise of a good life at the end of a university education is now an illusion.

Compared to the severity of the crisis, the solutions on offer are woefully inadequate. The time for pointless negotiations is over. But a single day of action, announced in advance, is not enough. Escalation is absolutely necessary.

For anyone who does not know, the graduate student commons at UCSC was occupied this afternoon in support of the walkout, the strike, and the struggles of students, workers, and teachers across the UC system. The building has been taken by a group of undergrads, grad students, and alumni, with hundreds rallying in support at the base of the building in Quarry Plaza. Barricades have been built and spirits are high.

We need your support! The success of this action relies on the support of the entire UCSC community. Already more students have joined the occupation, and, although the future is entirely unknown, this can potentially become an open, student-run space from which to launch a larger movement.

We have many reasons for taking this action, and many goals for what will happen. However, we have no demands for the UCSC administration, the Regents, or any of those who have power over us, those against whom we are struggling. In fact, we are not interested in addressing them in any way. Instead, our appeal goes out to you: to students, workers, supporters, and organizers. We want to build a movement. That is our demand.